


Tired of These Walls

by Stardust948



Series: ZK Drabble December 2020 [14]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ba Sing Se, Day 21, Dialogue Heavy, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Zutara Drabble December 2020, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-22
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:53:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28228707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stardust948/pseuds/Stardust948
Summary: Zuko goes to Ba Sing Se right after his banishment. Katara gets stuck there while looking for a water bending teacher. They bond over wanting to escape Ba Sing Se. Someday they just might.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: ZK Drabble December 2020 [14]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2036716
Comments: 8
Kudos: 67





	Tired of These Walls

Katara gazed wordlessly at the night sky, barely feeling the cold wind from her spot on the rooftop. She sensed someone behind her silently edging from the shadows. 

"You're late." Katara whispered without sparring him a glance. 

"Long shift today." 

Zuko settled down beside her and held out a steamed bun which Katara gratefully accepted. Food had become more and more scarce as rations were cut. Fresh food like this was reserved for those of the Upper Ring. Katara didn't bother to ask how Zuko got his hands on some.

"We could do it, you know." Zuko said after he finished the bun. "Runaway." 

"They'll catch us. We wouldn't make it five miles." 

"I wouldn't be too sure about that. We're way too fast for them."

"Mmhmm. That's what you said before the cabbage incident." 

Zuko groaned causing Katara to snicker. It was quite an interesting way to meet, pretending to be husband and wife cabbage merchants to escape Fire Nation soldiers and get into the Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se. Only to find out selling cabbage without a permit was illegal, resulting in a mad dash through the city before they could be arrested by Dai Li agents. 

"You're never gonna let me live that down are you?" 

"Of course not. You're my cabbage husband!" 

Zuko smiled despite himself. Back then, they promised to leave the city together. That was three long years ago. Before the Fire Nation's conquest decimated most of the Earth Kingdom. Before Ba Sing Se closed it's great walls, trapping everyone inside for their 'safety'. 

"I mean it 'Tara. They'll never notice two kids slipping out in the dark. We could finally leave." 

"Where will we go?" 

"The North Pole. To find you a waterbending master." 

Katara's heart lurched for a moment. The whole reason she left her small village was to find a master. But the North had closed their walls a long time ago. Nobody had heard from them in 70 years. Zuko insisted that he'll melt a hole through the ice walls if he had too. 

"Okay. After I master waterbending, then where will we go?"

Zuko laid down on his back with his hands under his head. 

"To the Sun Warrior Temples. My Uncle said the secrets of firebending in its purest form are kept there." 

Katara laid down beside him, heads touching as they stared at the stars. 

"We'll liberate every town we come across." Katara mused. "You'll master firebending, then we'll become unstoppable." 

"A master waterbender and master firebender. The war won't know what hit them. And we can use our disguises." 

"Oh? Lee and Sapphire Cabbage are going to save the world?" Katara asked smugly. 

"No!" Zuko laughed. "The Blue Spirit and Painted Lady are." 

"Of course." 

"Obviously." 

They fell into a comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts. The stars soon began to fade as the first hints of dawn appeared. 

"I'm serious 'Tara. I'm so tired of these walls. So sick of sucking up to arrogant pricks for take everything for themselves and leave others to starve. This city is nothing but a holding pen for slaughter day. Even if we get caught by the Fire Nation, I'd rather die on my feet then live on my knees!" 

Katara inhaled deeply. Zuko was right. This city was set to fail sooner than later. The longer they wait, the harder it'll be to make any real change. 

"Okay." 

"Okay? Is that all you have to say?!" 

"Okay as in you're right. Let's escape." 

Zuko shot up and looked at her in surprise. He had been suggesting they'd runaway for 3 years but this was the first direct answer she had given him. 

"You serious?" 

"Yes! We'll leave at night. We'll go to the North Pole, then the Sun Warrior temples and we'll kick Fire Nation butt along the way!" 

"Katara..."

"I'm serious too, Zuko." Katara snapped as she sat up to face him. "You're not the only one sick of these walls." 

Zuko's gaze soften. There was no changing Katara's mind when she used that tone. 

"Alright. We'll meet here at dusk and leave as soon as it's dark." 

Zuko stood to leave but paused when Katara called him. 

"Don't be late. Again." 

"I promise not to keep my cabbage wife waiting." Zuko smirked, earning a full grin from Katara. "I'll see you tonight." 

The night they will finally break free of these walls and start their new life together.

**Author's Note:**

> See if you can guess the opening scene reference!


End file.
